[R-390] zinc chloride NO NO

[Tim Shoppa]

Steve suggested:
> Clean off the greasy residue with lacquer thinner, then neutralize the 
> acid residue with a paste of baking soda and water, then flush with 
> lots of clean water? Worth a try, anyway.

OK, a stupid chemistry question (I was trained as a physicist, I deal with falling objects, not with stinky chemicals!):

Zinc Chloride must be a salt.  Why is it called "acid paste flux"?

Chloride probably isn't the nicest thing to metals either.

Does Zinc chloride magically turn into hydrogen chloride
(hydrochloric acid) when heated in use/exposed to moisture maybe?

I do agree with the other posters that flux pens/flux for SMD soldering
is a really magical stuff.

Tim.